Dug clay for rustic African ceramics
- Nyari is a third-generation potter
- She uses locally dug clays and makes her own glazes
- For several years she taught pottery at tertiary and high school levels
It was not until she studied ceramics at university that Nyari Kadhani-Gurupira found out that she was a third-generation potter. Her love for pottery had been ignited during a school holiday spent at a local pottery studio. After university she taught ceramics for a few years, then with support from her parents and with her husband’s encouragement, she quit teaching to pursue pottery-making full-time. Working from a shed in her garden, Nyari opened her workshop in 2002. She defines her work as a combination of traditional African pottery and modern ceramics. She lives on a farm, which provides her with an endless source of inspiration and materials from nature. "There is so much to forage, incorporate or copy. You never run out.” This lends her work its signature rustic charm.
INTERVIEW
My work is mainly a combination of pottery techniques – slab work and moulding being the main ones. I also make my own glazes, which is not common in my country as people normally import ready-made glazes.
Working with dug clay has been done by many traditional potters in my culture for generations. I believe that working with this material is the first step to maintain tradition. The shapes I create have a very organic African look, fused with shapes from natural objects such as leaves, petals and other indigenous plants.
In my country, yes, I would say it is. Pottery has become such a costly profession that most big and small potteries have closed down, and there are only a few of us left. As for traditional Zimbabwean pottery, very, very few are still making pots the old way.
My husband and I are setting up a culture village where we will offer free accommodation and training to under-privileged Zimbabweans who want to learn different crafts to better their lives. Pottery is one of these crafts. I have years of teaching experience, and it is something I enjoy doing.
